Fight Based Training Advantages
Fight drive better sustains a canine in a violent encounter.
The canine will administer an effective and pain compliant bite.
Critical Drives
- Hunt
- Air scent
- Fight
- Prey
Fixation Problem:
When the canine, by “chaining” of unrelated stimuli with agitation training, becomes patterned into an incorrect response.
Fixation problems
- Sleeve Fixation
- Arm Fixation
- Clothing Fixation
- Muzzle Fixation
- Jute Fixation
– Agitator Fixation
– Race, Sex, Age or Size Fixations
– Training Site Fixation
– Training Day Fixation
Exposed Sleeve: Agitation Techniques
- Conceal the sleeve behind your body.
- Maintain forward or glancing motion.
- Deliver the sleeve off of the hip.
- Provide a horizontal biting surface.
- Stand up straight and keep the sleeve high on hip.
- Place the bite in the area from mid forearm to the elbow.
- Provide smooth horizontal side-to-side motion in the sleeve.
- Use the other hand to grab the sleeve to keep it high and in the correct position.
Stick application
- As an agitation tool to present a threatening appearance.
- To apply discomfort to the canine and condition him to fight through pain.
- As a correction tool for the canine failing to release or detain the agitator.
Safety Procedures: Agitator Knock-Down
- The agitator:
Keeps moving whatever part of the body the canine is biting. - The handler:Approaches the agitator and canine from a direction that will bring him to the agitator’s head first.
Grabs the canine’s collar and provides rearward tension to keep the canine at this location.
While maintaining the rearward tension, help the agitator to his feet.
Agitation Rules
The first rule of an agitator is: The dog must always win!
The second rule of an agitator is: The canine never gives ground to the agitator and the agitator always gives ground and flees.
Runaway Safety
Maintain forward momentum to absorb the shock of the impact.
Bark Indication
The bark indication is tactically crucial in informing the handler:
- That the canine has located the suspect.
- The suspect’s location.
The principle rule of the agitator in bark indication training is: “Bark=Bite/Fight”.
Patrol Canine Handling Rules
Principle Rule #1:
You are a police officer first and a canine handler second.
Principle Rule #2:
No matter what happens. . . React!
Run-By’s:
- Directional command for the handler to:
- Run in and praise the canine verbally and physically.
- Run away from the engagement.
Conflict Yelling:
- Directional command to the handler to yell commands and phrases that will be used during an actual street encounter.
Street:
- Directional command to the agitator to provide the amount of verbal and physical stimulation that the canine will encounter in an actual street encounter.
Lift-Off
- Directional command for the handler to physically remove the canine from a bite.
Fake-Lift:
- Directional command for the handler to start a lift-off and then release the canine.
Push-Away:
- Directional command for the handler to physically remove the canine from a muzzle fight.
Chase-Off:
- Directional command for the handler to allow the canine to chase the agitator from the field on leash.
Canine Warnings: Advantages
- Safer for the handler.
- Safer for other officers.
- Safer for innocent parties.
- Reduces liability.
Canine Warnings Policy:
By policy,
- A canine warning must be issued prior to releasing a patrol canine for any search for concealed humans or canine apprehension.
- A warning may not be issued if it is tactically or logistically unfeasible.
- The warning must be made in English and the common language language of the region.
- During search operations, the warning should be repeated a minimum of three times.
- Must be a delay between warnings and deployment.
- Gives anyone inside an opportunity to comply with the warnings.
Canine Warnings: Wording
By policy, the wording for canine warnings are:
- When deploying on a visible subject:
“Police, stop or I will send the dog, and you may get bit.”
- When deploying into a search:
“Police, speak to me now or I will send the dog, and you may get bit.”
The wording may be modified to address a specific situation.
Surveillance Position
The canine remains in a stationary obedience position and quiet while the handler issues canine warnings.
Call-Off:
A method of deployment of a patrol canine, where the canine is conditioned to stop the pursuit of a fleeing subject on command.
Questions for High Risk Canine Deployments
- Is this a canine call?
- Is my canine trained to the level to be successful?
- What will happen if my canine performs as trained?
- What will happen if my canine fails?
- Are there other options?
